Musher at half way point

Photo: The Canadian Press

Justin Allen and his sled dogs.

A musher and his 12 Alaskan huskies have reached the halfway point of their 3,000-kilometre dog sled trek from Manitoba to his home province of New Brunswick.

Justin Allen left Churchill, Man., on January 22 and arrived in Moosonee, Ont., earlier this week after travelling roughly 1,700 kilometres through the tundra, down tree-lined trails and along Hudson's Bay.

Allen, who spends hours caring for his dogs every day, says there have been many challenges thus far, including sledding through waist-deep snow and over icy roads.

He says his team — J.T., Bella, Goldie, Howler, Mouse, Acer, Alpine, Ash, Juniper, Sequoia, Tamarack, and Willow — are happy and healthy, but are a bit confused given this is the longest they've ever been away from home.

Until now, the longest trip he has taken with the dogs was about 380 kilometres, but he says they ran thousands of kilometres in their training for this trek.

The 34-year-old man has been stopping in communities along the way, talking with kids in schools about dog sledding and the benefits of living an active outdoor lifestyle.

He expects to arrive in Saint John, N.B., sometime in mid-April.